A Jessie-Spano-on-pills-style pregnancy.

I’ve been at such a loss for words. (You: But you always have words, way too many words…) I know, I know. The words are in my head… but they won’t move to my fingers and I can’t get them on the page. Blogging feels impossible. Because what do you write about when you just wrote the biggestthing you’ve ever written? Where do you even start?

And, more importantly, what if you have to take it back?

I don’t, thankfully. But I am so scared that I will. And that makes me scared to say anything at all. Lame. My husband is rather fond of saying, “like water off a duck’s back, babes…” He thinks it’s somehow not worth worrying about something you cannot control. Pppsshhh. I am so not a duck.

Yesterday, I came across a lovely description of my weirdness courtesy of Anne Lamott (living proof that The Hard can make you so so Good):

“My six-year-old associate, who sleeps down the hall about thirty feet away with both our doors wide open, wakes up on many mornings and predicts, ‘This might be the best day ever!’

Then, in the dead of night, a tiny voice calls out to me, ‘Nana, will you ever get sick or die?’ Then he cries at the very thought. He terrorizes himself.

I think this says it all.

If you are alive, conscious, and sensitive, which is to say, human, you’re going to have incredible joy and terror this side of eternity. It’s Life 101, life on life’s terms, not on ours, all these things – fear, joy, grace, mess, isolation, communion, all mixed up together.

The only person who has ever said it better? Why, Bayside High’s own Jessie Spano of course — you know the very special episode. When poor, over-committed Jessie starts taking caffeine pills just to keep up with it all.

“I’m so excited! I’m so excited!! I’m so… scared!”

That is exactly it. I’m so dang excited I can barely stand it. But I’m SO SCARED. And as such, I’m trying way too hard to temper my excitement… just in cases (not a typo, watch Love Actually)… it’s no good.

Honestly, it’s no way to live. Yes, the bad, the worst, the unimaginable can happen. It has been happening for over three years. Month after month of disappointment, bad news, procedures and pills and injections without success. But in this moment, the good, the best, the unimaginable in a completely different way has happened. We’re pregnant. Pregnant!! And right now, we have a baby on the way. Incredible joy. Terror can always show up. But it’s not here now and worrying about it, collapsing into my real world Zack Morris, doesn’t help.

Fortunately, I ran back into the house on my way to work last Friday morning to puke up my breakfast. I had chalked everything else up to the progesterone injections (seriously guys, my backside is like swiss cheese — injections every day until 9/23) or elaborate psychosomatic responses to knowing/thinking I was pregnant (my brain can be such a powerful little beast), but you can’t just imagine puking. That’s real! I’d been feeling so good that I’d even peed on another stupid stick (positive!) last Monday. Kind of pathetic.

It’s just… the FEAR. I can’t escape it! I honestly don’t know how and I feel like I’m skipping from rock to rock across a 40 week wide river at the moment, desperately hoping I make it to the other side. Always looking ahead to the next rock, barely believing I made it across the last. Blood HCG to peeing on a stick to puking in a toilet bowl and ultrasound on Thursday. At some point I’ll have to stop, or I really will end up like poor, stressed out Jessie Spano. I’m just no good at being a duck.

It’s funny because I thought that when the IVF was over, we’d have an answer and I’d feel resolved in some way. But I don’t. Not at all. Excited and happy, of course, but definitely not resolved. And what I probably need most of all is to circle back to that lovely prayer of relinquishment — the one that, with both hope and gratitude, accepts what is to be. Or, as Hagrid says, “What’s comin’ will come, an’ we’ll meet it when it does.” (I just finished The Goblet of Fire last week. Oh my goodness. Onto the Order of the Phoenix — no fake book interlude this time, just straight through the magical goodness.)

Because why shouldn’t Harry Potter be part of my spiritual solution? (Which reminds me to say that dang, Hermione’s hair is so much better in the books than in the movies. I mean, lots of love to the brilliant Emma Watson, but her hair really should have been a lot bushier in the movies, don’t you think? Perhaps I’ll spend some time worrying about that instead for a bit.)

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7 thoughts on “A Jessie-Spano-on-pills-style pregnancy.”

Welcome to motherhood! The joy/fear dichotomy doesn’t stop once the baby is born. I don’t think it ever stops. I think you just have to learn to focus more on the joy so you don’t let the fear rob you of these moments. 🙂

Definitely agree. I was discussing this with a co-worker a few months ago. She said she felt less worried once her kids graduated college, but then the grandkids started coming and it got worse. Definitely focus more on the joy…and don’t watch the local news.

eh, Who wants to be a duck anyways. I didn’t sleep for three entire days after Kennedy was born. Figuring out how to stop the fear enough to allow myself to sleep seemed impossible. Your totally normal in my book!

I have so much to say but will keep it short and tell you; one rock at a time my dear and don’t forget to stop and look back at how far you’ve come!
You are a blessing and God wants to give you what your heart desires. Have faith and trust in His goodness!
Thinking of you always! Blessings

I continue to be thrilled for you and your family! I think everyone can understand your trepidation and fear; having what you have always wished for come true is pretty powerful!
Breathe, read, walk do everything a pregnant person can do for the best outcome is your job and the only thing you can do right now. My daughter Jen, always thought of her growing child in terms of seed, fruits and vegetables. So I hope you and your little poppyseed continues to thrive…. On a side note, have you read “The Discovery of Witches” series by Deborah Harkness. It is great escapism and prob just what you need now!

Your readers are excited and scared right along with you! OK, mostly excited. And I’m sure the magnitude of our excitement and nervousness doesn’t even come close to yours! Glad to hear everything is going well so far. Love those words by Anne Lamott. Can’t believe I haven’t read any of her books yet. Even Brene Brown quotes her! Speaking of Brene Brown: “when you numb the pain you numb the joy.” So feel those feelings! You got this, and we’re all backing you up!

"Rachel V. Stankowski considered herself, among other things, a writer. Primarily due to the positive stigmas that accompanied the label, but also because it seemed to excuse some of her more major eccentricities, vanity included."
My brother, also a writer, wrote that about a fictional character. It might have been about me. So I stole it. He's good; maybe I can be too.